Former England cricketer and TV pundit Alex Hartley says she was “hung out to dry” by the current England squad after questioning their fitness.
The former spinner claimed current bowler Sophie Ecclestone refused a TV interview with her ahead of the first Women's Ashes T20 on Monday.
Hartley, who won the World Cup with England back in 2017, came out and criticized England's fitness back in October when they suffered an early exit from the T20 World Cup after a shock defeat to the West Indies in Dubai.
She said some of England's players had “let their team down” with their fitness
As England slumped to a defeat that gave Australia an unassailable 8-0 lead in the Women's Ashes on Monday, Hartley said Ecclestone refused to speak to her as the team continued to give her the “cold shoulder”.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Relive the moment England crashed out of the Women's World T20 as West Indies jubilated, leaving Heather Knight in tears
“The England team hung me out to dry: none of them will talk to me on the touchline,” Hartley told BBC Test Match Special.
“The reason I said they're not as fit as Australia is because I want them to compete with Australia, I want them to be better than Australia, and I want them to win the Ashes and the World Cup. I give my opinion, and I've been cold since then of the English team.
“Not everyone gave me the cold shoulder. I don't want to say they were all the same, because they weren't. Some of the players were absolutely outstanding: I talked to them on the street, on the field, anywhere, but a few individuals – coaches, players – they literally didn't look at me.”
Hartley believes her comments about the squad's fitness have upset head coach Jon Lewis and the squad, but insists that if it is not a general fitness issue in the squad, it must be the “athleticism of a few” that is the issue.
“I clearly upset them,” she added.
“Jon Lewis has come out and said there's no fitness problem in his team, there's no fitness problem in the England environment. They obviously think I'm completely wrong in my opinion – which is fine, absolutely fine, I'm entitled to my opinion , and they on their own.
“It's my job to say if I see something that needs to be improved, and I have, but the way I've been treated since I think it's completely unfair. But they're going to say my comments were unfair, so if that How our relationship will progress, so be it… If fitness isn't an issue, then it's the athleticism of a few, right?”
Women's Ashes – results and fixtures
All UK and Ireland dates and times